Growing Up and Getting a Life
by S. Wright
Summary: When Naruto Uzumaki looked at Sasuke Uchiha, he saw everything that he was not. Sasuke was perfection in the eyes of many and Naruto hated him for it. In Naruto's mind, he and Sasuke were rivals, enemies known to each other until one day Sasuke said, "Naruto who?" Rating changed for Language and adult situations.
1. Backhanded with a Brick

**Growing Up and Getting a Life**

A Naruto Fiction by S. Wright

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**Summary:** _When Naruto Uzumaki looked at Sasuke Uchiha, he saw everything that he was not. Sasuke was perfection in the eyes of many and Naruto hated him for it. In Naruto's mind, he and Sasuke were rivals, enemies known to each other until one day Sasuke asked, "Naruto who?"_

Alternative Universe, non-Ninja world set in the US. There may be a few Japanese words thrown about, but that depend on most of the character's ages and if I want to them to be natives or whatnot. There will be heterosexual couples in this, that is your warning, heed it. However, this is a _Sasuke and Naruto romance_.

Read, enjoy, and review _(Can't say that it will influence my writing speed but they are nice to receive.)_

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_ Chapter One: Reality steps in and backhands you with a brick_

It happened and was over in a single moment.

The loud-mouth pretentious blond hooligan stood in the middle of the hall of_ Sasuke Saratobi Memorial High School_ staring at the retreating back of Sasuke Uchiha as the other boy walked away from the blond kid who moments before had declared how much better 'Naruto Uzumaki' was than Sasuke.

Sasuke had frowned, it was oblivious to everyone standing in the hallway that he frustrated and just wanted to get away to his last class for the day. He pushed up his glasses, his frown deepened when he saw the kid flinch; he thought Sasuke was going to take a swing at him.

Sasuke sighed as he fixed the kid with a firm stare and said, "I don't know who your friend is, kid, nor do I care. If neither of you have anything better to do with your lives than running trying to start fights and make up rivalries, then you have far more free time than those of us who actually care about our futures more than high school. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go to class. I don't have time to listen to a cheerleader."

With that, Sasuke Uchiha walked away and took Naruto's pride with him.

Naruto could feel eyes on him as he pulled himself together and went to his own class. He felt eyes on him throughout the entire lesson, along with the whispers, and the texting. The teacher said nothing, this was the first time in the entire semester Naruto Uzumaki was quiet during class and she was going to enjoy it.

As he left school, Naruto was the subject of intense scrutiny of the student body. Someone had recorded his dressing down and posted it on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and now everyone in the world knew who he was but not how he imagined.

As he walked to his car, a random girl shouted out "It's about time someone shut you up, Uzumaki."

"Bullies like you need to be brought down a peg or two," someone, a guy shouted at Naruto's car.

"When are you going to grow up?" he heard before peeling out of the student parking lot. Naruto had completely forgotten about Kiba, in his desperate need to be away from his shame.

At home, Naruto sat in his bedroom staring blankly at wall as the day replayed itself in his mind. It had been his typical day. He arrived late to school, joked around with Kiba, went to a few of his classes, asked Sakura for a date but was shot down, complained about Sasuke to Kiba, and skipped a few classes with Kiba to hit a joint, saw later in the afternoon Sakura with a few other girls fawning over Sasuke while the other boy was taking a book out of his locker.

That was when everything went wrong.

Naruto, still a bit high, and being egged on by Kiba, stormed over to the group, with every intention on starting a fight with Sasuke. He was going to prove to Sasuke and everyone who worshipped him that was Sasuke nothing. Sasuke did not deserve their praise and admiration, because he was loser, an anti-social bastard who did not love Sakura and wasn't like Naruto.

Naruto was tired of Sasuke having everything that he wanted so Naruto was going to take it all and bask in the glory of the popularity and admiration that Naruto knew should have been his all along.

In his mind, when Naruto threw himself before Sasuke, he saw Sakura turning her nose up the Uchiha-brat as she sashay over to Naruto finally realizing that he was the man for her and Sasuke was going to be crying for her to come back to him.

Then Naruto's world dissolved. Sasuke didn't know who he was. He thought Naruto was someone else and the guy in front of him was some groupie fan-boy.

Naruto lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. After that utter humiliating encounter the rest of Naruto's day went straight into the crapper. His confrontation with Sasuke served as a catalyst for the student body of _SSM High_ and they were not quiet in showing their contempt for the troublemaker who until that afternoon never knew how many people disliked him. He didn't like what the other kids in school had said about him as he left to go home. He wasn't the bully, he wasn't an arrogant jerk, nor was he the bad guy. Damn it! It was Sasuke, why couldn't the others just see it.

Except Naruto never heard of Sasuke getting into fights with anyone in school since freshman year when Sasuke took down some senior with three quick hits. Everyone knew Sasuke was a Fifth Degree black belt; he was on the _Kendo_ team, captain of rugby, lacrosse, and basketball teams. Sasuke was on the Junior Olympic Boxing team and he taught Karate at the local _Boys' and Girls' Club_. Sasuke was a straight A-student in all advance courses and for the last two years he had been in AP courses, and he was graduating with full honours as valedictorian.

Naruto did none or was not any of those things.

Back when he was younger, Naruto's godfather had taught him martial arts, _ninjutsu_, but over the years Naruto didn't keep up with it. Nowadays Naruto usually just hung out with his friend Kiba, playing video games, going out, trying to get laid, or high. He never thought he was hurting anyone. In Naruto's mind, he was just having fun and enjoying his life, while being a clown.

Was it so wrong that he wanted a little attention from everyone and the girl of his dream on his arm?

Unfortunately, as Naruto learned, it was.

The next day, Naruto stayed home from school. He didn't answer his phone or his emails, knowing that only person who would call was Kiba because he was usually the other boy's ride to school. He did nothing by lie in his bed trying to figure out how this all went wrong for him.

It was the weekend, Naruto for the first time in a very long time did not go out, he was not hosting a party, or doing he would normally be doing. He just stayed in bed until Monday morning.

Monday rolled around, and Naruto actually showed was in his first class of the day. The teacher was surprised to hear him reply to his name and more so by the silence that immediately followed.

Naruto's eyes drifted over to unusual rosé coloured hair and terrible little smile crawled over his lips as he looked at the girl he wanted to love him. Naruto had loved Sakura from the very first moment he saw when he entered high school. She wasn't the prettiest girl in the world, but she was pretty enough for Naruto even when she had strawberry blonde hair that went so well with her Kelly green eyes. But she changed her hair when she heard that stupid rumor Naruto started with the hope of pulling Sakura away from him only to have the reverse happen. Sakura never looked at Naruto the way he looked at her and even when she did look in his direction, it was an in disgust or annoyance.

The latest rumor was that Sakura was thinking about getting a restraining order. Her friend, Ino said maliciously, all the while the witch's eyes were glued on Naruto. Apparently, Sakura didn't feel safe with Naruto around.

Suddenly depressed, Naruto looked down at his desk and when he looked up again, and before he knew it the school day was over and Kiba was bouncing around him, demanding to know where Naruto had been all weekend while making plans to come over to his house.

Not wanting to disappoint his friend, Naruto agreed and with a whoop, Kiba set out inviting everyone over for a party. Feeling somewhat better at his friend's exuberance, Naruto could not help but to feel excited and as he shook of his depressive air. Kiba was just like Naruto except Naruto had a trust fund and a mansion on the other side of town that he lived in with only a staff ran by a butler.

Naruto's guardian lived in Japan and never visited the US. Naruto would meet Jiraya ever other summer in some country for wild tour. When with Jiraya, Naruto was still alone. He would be given anything and everything he wanted but it was never enough. Naruto had sex when he was thirteen, but he had started drinking the year before that and at fourteen, drugs were thrown in the mix.

Naruto didn't have to go to college, but Jiraya had already secured him a place at Harvard because it was where Naruto's father had gone to school and Jiraya had something about Naruto's father wanting him to continue the tradition. Naruto would graduate with a degree in Business and Finance and then move into his position as the CEO of Nam-CO International. All of this planned down to the detail. Naruto would never have to do anything except show up and take a few pictures.

People were hired to write his papers, professors had been bought, the president of Harvard already had his degree ready to go, he just had to show up on the first day of his classes, let the press take photographs of the Namikaze heir.

So why was he so fixated on Sakura and Sasuke?

The easy answer was that Naruto was used to having everything he wanted when he wanted it so it upset him when he could not have the things that he desired.

Naruto was richer than the Uchiha's could ever dream, but he didn't want Sakura to want him for his money alone. Sakura was a simple girl, plain, not too pretty, but she was smart and different from other people Naruto knew, so it was easy for him to decide that she was the one for him. Unfortunately, Sakura she fixated on Sasuke that it was impossible for her to see anyone other than him. Even when she was in Naruto's house, enjoying his things, Sakura was still talking about Sasuke even though the other boy hadn't come.

Feeling depressed and lonely, Naruto went looking for his only friend in the sea of people. Naruto looked around his house and all the people crammed into it, laughing, talking, and dancing, they were all having a grand time—but no one seemed to acknowledged his presence.

He could the see the sneers and hostile looks directed his way but he didn't think about it because he was still looking for his friend. And just when he found Kiba, standing around with a group of seniors who though they were popular, Naruto heard someone in the circle ask Kiba why had he invited him. The person, some girl whose name Naruto did not know, was looking at Naruto as she went into her denunciation as she moved closer to Kiba, her hands all over the costly pieces he wore with a greedy possessiveness that absurd and yet telling.

The covetous wench had the gall to say that Naruto was a loser and a social outcast. But it was his house, this was his liquor and food, all of this was his that these worthless little nobodies were using and taking advantage of so who was she or any of them to say anything since they were all guests of—

"…yeah, what else can I say," Naruto looked up when heard Kiba, he was apologizing to the simpering girl who from the look in her dark eyes was dreaming of spending the night in the fabulous mansion among many other things. Still Kiba continued to speak, shattering the remaining illusion Naruto had, this time it was about his supposed best friend. Kiba, the arrogant, self-important little fool was completely oblivious of the trap the little she-devil had walked him into, because she like everyone else had fallen for the same game. "Naruto is such a reject that you gotta feel sorry for him." Kiba said with a hint of contempt just edged with some enough pity to make it seem as if he was still a good guy.

"But you let him in your house, man," another nobody said, Naruto could practically feel the contempt rolling off the other, "Aren't you afraid he's gonna trash the place—"

"Or steal something," another added and before shoving Naruto in the back. "Why don't you go home, Loser, no one wants you here."

The sudden silence that overtook the room as the crowd turned on him, sneering and hostile, everyone waiting for him to get up and just disappear. With a jolt, Naruto realized that the people in his house, drinking his liquor and eating his food, using his game room, and touching his things did not know they were in his home.

Naruto never thought about how at all of his parties, how no one ever came up to him, but they flocked to Kiba, thanking Kiba for inviting them, thanking Kiba for throwing the best and wildest parties—Kiba was popular and well-liked because Kiba had been lying about who they really were. And there was Kiba now, realizing the position these little nobodies had unwittingly pushed him into without knowing it because that was the way Kiba had engineered this from the beginning.

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder, at which he looked up into the face of his supposed friend, who was looking at him with expectation in his eyes. With a sick feeling, Naruto realized that Kiba wanted him to play along, to pretend because Kiba was just another nobody wanting to desperately impress the other little nobodies and his house of cards were tumbling down.

Before Kiba could open his mouth, Naruto spoke.

"I understand," he smiled, "Your friends don't want a loser like me to be here. They want me to go back to the trailer park on the other side of town were a poor, orphan boy like me is supposed to live with his abusive, drunk foster dad, right?" His smile turned vicious as Kiba's widen in fear. "Is that the story you have been telling everyone? Telling all these little people that this is your house, that the cars in the garage, and that clothes that you are wearing right now, all of this belongs to you?"

"Naruto, man," Kiba tried to laugh it off but there was no mistaking the fear and the loathing in his tone, "Just do us all a favor, man, and just go home."

Disgusted, humiliated, and betrayed, Naruto quickly ended the charade. Tuning his back on Kiba, Naruto stormed away, calling for his butler to turn everyone out and to call the police if his house was not cleared out in five minutes.

There was real confusion on the nobodies' faces.

They did not understand what was going on or why Kiba's staff was obeying Naruto—then it clicked as Naruto was ripping his clothes off Kiba, the silk shirt, the expensive jeans, and the _Audemars Piguet_ watch. Kiba was thrown outside on the lawn with the rest of the nobodies and his clothes were tossed outside with him.

Naruto did not yell. Naruto did not say another word once the door was closed. He just went upstairs to his bedroom and tried to forget everything that had happened. There was no going back from this.

The next day at school, things were very different.

Naruto had walked to school instead of driving. He wanted to clear his head and just blend in for once. His uniform did not make him stand out as his regular clothing would. He looked the same as he always had, but now everyone knew he was the rich kid and they wanted to be in his good graces. They had all been to his house before, they knew what he had, and they wanted it again.

Walking into the school, Naruto heard his name, this time without the loathing and contempt that usually came with it. The calls today were friendly and filled with smiles from girls who just yesterday were shooting him down with looks of pure revulsion on their faces. The jocks and other so-called popular kids were clapping him about the shoulders and patting his back, call him 'Bud' and 'man' as if they were they were the best of friends, commenting on how great the party had been and asking we was going to have another.

Even Sakura was different.

Normally, Sakura could not find a moment to spare for Naruto much less a kind word, today she was full of soft smiles, and sweet blushes, and she had plenty to say to the boy who just the week before she violently rejected. Sakura sat beside Naruto in all of their shared classes, preening like a little princess as she giggled and flirted with Naruto throughout the day, latched on his arm, talking about where she wanted to go for their first date.

Today, Naruto had everything he wanted as of last week, but it was not what he wanted today.

Then he saw Sasuke Uchiha walking towards them.

Naruto heard Sakura gasp and quickly straighten herself as she smiled broadly. But Sasuke walked past them, his eyes never straying from book in his hands as he continued on…At least he hadn't changed.

As he was leaving for the day, an arm fell over Naruto's shoulders and hand grabbed his face as Kiba pressed a noisy kiss to side of his face before letting him go.

"There," the boisterous boy declared loudly earning everyone's attention with his usual antics. "We've kissed and made up and I forgive you for throwing me out naked on the street. Now let's go to your house and celebrate!"

"Yeah, party at Uzumaki's!" Someone shouted and the cry was quickly picked up as people began to rush out of the school towards their cars, or however they travelled, a race to be the first to arrive at Naruto's place.

Sakura was back at his side, on his arm with her little court of friends.

They were all blathering, making plans for what they were going to do. Sakura was frowning and starting to rant that she did not want to walk all the way to Naruto's house and a demanded that he call for a car to come pick them all up.

Ino sneered, "It's the least he could do."

Sakura was nodding her head, "I am your girlfriend, Naruto." She huffed, "You should treat me better."

Naruto stopped walking then. He looked at the others as they walked away from him, still talking and going on in their own little worlds that involved everything that was but without him.

This was everything he wanted, the girl of his dreams, the popularity, the attention, it was all his, but this was not how he wanted to gain it. Suddenly sick at the thought of being alone with all those people, Naruto turned away from them and ran.

This was not what he wanted. Sakura was supposed to come to him not because he was rich, she was supposed to realize that she loved him and she was supposed to be sweet, loving, gentle, and the prefect girl he had long envisioned from since the first time he saw her.

Sakura was supposed to love him because he loved her, she was supposed to turn up her nose the Uchiha brat and be all over Naruto because he was better than Sasuke—he was better than the boy who walked past her each day but never looked at Sakura.

How could Naruto rub this in his face when Sakura still preened for the other boy even when she is calling herself Naruto's girlfriend?

This was not what he wanted; this was the opposite of everything what Naruto could have wanted. Naruto felt his gut clench as nausea raced up his throat. Naruto turned on his heel and raced towards the closest men's restroom before he was sick all over himself in the hallway.

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto was slumped over in a corner in the toilet, crying into his folded arms.


	2. The Lost Boys

_Chapter Two: The Lost Boys_

Sasuke stood staring down at crying kid and wondered what he was going to do with him.

It took some effort, but Sasuke got the kid out of the restroom and out of the school. He shoved the boy into the front passenger seat of his Jeep Cherokee and drove off.

As they drove, Sasuke heard the kid sniff and comment on his car before muttering something under his breath that sound vaguely like "…his car isn't even new."

Sasuke said nothing, but his white knuckled hold on the steering wheel spoke of his frustration with the mouthy little brat.

Sasuke wasn't rich, he didn't pretend to be. He and his brother were doing what they could hold on to their family home without dipping into the money their parents had left for them aside from their college funds. That money was for emergencies only, so far they had not had to use it.

What Sasuke was doing was working his ass off as he prepared to enter Dartmouth College next year. His grades and test scores where in the top ten percentile nationally and his scores on both the SAT and ACT were top one percent even though he had a part-time job and volunteered. He really did not care about having a brand new car or for not wearing the latest fashions, some people had to eat and pay bills.

But Sasuke didn't say any of this to the brat huddled in his passenger seat crying over how unfair his life was now that people knew he was rich.

No, instead of tearing into the spoiled little prick, Sasuke asked him where he could drop him off. Blue eyes full of scorn fixed on him for a moment before the boy lowered his head to his knees and said he did not want to go home.

"Oi, Sasuke, who's that blond kid sitting in the living room?"

Sasuke looked up from pot he was stirring to see his brother standing in the kitchen entryway looking at the brat on their couch.

Sasuke looked his brother over, he was happy to note the canvas shopping bag in Itachi's hand; he hoped Itachi remembered to pick up the milk and bread so they could make their lunches tomorrow.

"His name's Naruto." Sasuke turned his attention back soup he had thrown together. "Did you get the bread and milk?"

There was a grunt as Itachi hefted bag up island and the middle of the kitchen before he put down his own school bag. "Yeah, and got the rest of the stuff on your list." Itachi said as he began to unpack their groceries. "So what is he doing here?"

"He didn't want go home," Sasuke told him with a light shrug that ended the conversation.

For the next thirty minutes the bothers moved about their house in silence. The soup was put on the table along with a warmed loaf of hearty dark bread, and a pitcher of green tea. Naruto joined the brothers at their table, but he made no comments about the meal or the company as he polished off two bowls of the fragrant beef and vegetable soup and a quarter of the bread. Itachi and Sasuke put down three bowls between them and nearly ate the entire loaf bread. After supper, Sasuke cleared off their dinner dishes while Itachi brought in a warm apple pie and dessert plates. Sasuke followed with a coffee pot and three mugs and they all tucked. During dessert, Itachi and Sasuke talked about their day. Naruto was surprised to learn that Itachi was not only a doctoral candidate at Dartmouth College, he was also taught as an associate professor of history at the college. Itachi asked Naruto about school and his plans for after graduation only to have the boy go silent again.

Worried, Itachi looked at Sasuke wondering if he knew what was going, but Sasuke just shrugged and they left it at that. Dessert was over, and the dishes were in the dishwasher, the Uchihas and their guest returned to the living room. Sasuke and Itachi worked in silence, each had a fresh mug of coffee at their elbows and their work was laid out before. Naruto was not accustomed to being near people like the Uchiha brothers.

Naruto had been around many different people all of his life, from the bored and affected libertine to the desperate and hungry. When he was with Jiraya, Naruto was used to people wanting to be near him for his wealth and the connection of being seen with him could for them. Back here, before last week, he was a troublemaker who though he was popular for being wild and outrageous with people wanting to be around him for that.

The reality of his situation was hitting Naruto rather hard and he ignored the latest round of texts from people who until yesterday looked down their noses at him and wanted to throw him out of his own house. Naruto's butler had not let of them in when they arrived at his estate and the disappointed little nobodies were wondering where their golden goose was hiding.

Naruto did not go home that night. He spent the night on the Uchiha's living room sofa. Itachi had made it up for him with spare linen from the hall closest and Sasuke had loaned him a pillow. Their guestroom was cluttered and neither brother wanted to clean for a person who would only be staying for one night.

Not unless he was drunk or so high that he couldn't move on his own violation had Naruto ever willing slept on someone else couch. But that night, he did and it was one of the best rests he had since before his father died.

Itachi was making breakfast when Naruto came down stairs after taking a quick shower. Sasuke was in his room grabbing everything he would need for school and his job.

Sasuke worked as a receptionist for a local law firm. His and Itachi's mother used to work as paralegal before she and their father were killed in a car accident two years ago. It was a good place for Sasuke and it fit with his goals for the future.

The managing partner was going to allow Sasuke to intern with the firm when he began college and had promised Sasuke a job once he passed the bar. But even that came with stipulations. Sasuke would have to maintain a 4.00 as both an undergrad and a Juris Doctorate candidate. He would need to score high on his LSAT if he wanted to go to Harvard's Law school, and pass the bar on his first go 'round. This job was his but he had to prove that he was hungrier than all the other candidates who would be vying for it when he graduated.

Sasuke looked up when he heard his houseguest hurrying down the hallway to go downstairs and for a second, irritation flashed in his dark eyes but he quickly pushed it aside and picked up his bags before heading downstairs to join the other two in the kitchen.

When Sasuke entered the kitchen, he noticed three brown bags on the counter going towards the door. Itachi had made lunch not only for him and his brother, but he was feeding Naruto as well.

Breakfast was eaten at a leisurely pace since the bothers always woke early. An hour later Sasuke and Naruto were on their way to school. Naruto did not mention stopping by his house and Sasuke did not bring it up.

At school the pair went their separate ways and Sasuke did not think about the strange boy or what had happened last night. It was around midday, Sasuke had study hall, so he was in the library working a paper of his AP History Course when someone dropped down on the other side of the table where he was set up.

Sasuke looked up from his notes to see the blond menace seated across from him. Naruto had his sack lunch on the table, but what caught Sasuke's eyes was the very tempting cup of fragrant black coffee beside the smaller, candied version of an iced coffee. Without a word, Naruto took the two coffees out of the tray before sliding the black coffee over to Sasuke.

"God, I don't know how you and your brother do it." Naruto groaned as he laid out his sack lunch out on the table, Itachi had packed all three bags with sandwiches, fruit, and a snack bar. "Getting up before sunrise and then spending all that time studying at night. No wonder you two drink so much coffee."

Sasuke looked at the coffee and then his own lunch of two very hardy sandwiches and two pieces of fruit and picked up one of them. "Not that I don't appreciate the coffee, but how did you get it in here?"

"I called my butler," Naruto replied with a shrug.

"Un-huh," Sasuke frowned.

Naruto bit into his sandwich and was impressed. He did not think a simple turkey on wheat would taste better than any gourmet lunch his chef would prepare.

"Not that I am complaining but why?"

Naruto hesitated before answering, "I just wanted to, okay." For the next few minutes the two sat in silence. Naruto took this time to really look at the boy he spent the last four years calling his rival and wondered what the hell was wrong with him.

Sasuke was not some slight little pretty boy.

The kid was a little bit over six foot, and he looked like a tight-end with shaggy black hair with a few wild cow licks in the back of his head. Sasuke's body was big and heavy, and from what Naruto could tell it was all thick, corded muscle. The kid had a sharply defined face, and dark, intelligent eyes that were currently behind a pair of simple black framed glasses. Naruto was reminded again of how different they were but this time his observation lacked the usual bite of envy that he was so accustomed to feeling when he thought of Sasuke, and surprisingly, Naruto was fine with it.

They finished their lunches just before the next bell sounded. Naruto thanked Sasuke for the meal and then rose to hurry off for his next class. Sasuke had another free period so he chose to remain the library. It was at the end of the day when the two met up again, and it Sasuke's turn to be surprised.

Naruto stood beside passenger side of Sasuke's Jeep with a small suitcase and his backpack.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked as he opened the rear door to toss his bag in back.

Naruto quickly followed suit before clamoring to the passenger side. "You don't mind if I crash at your place for awhile?"

Sasuke was tempted to tell the little prick to get the hell out of his car but seeing the panic around the boy's eyes that had Sasuke holding his tongue and putting his jeep into reverse and pulled out of the school parking lot.

Again, the drive was quiet. Naruto seemed to relax the further they got away from their school and all of their classmates.

Sasuke may not have been social butterfly everyone thought he was, but he was not deaf to the gossip that floated all over the place either. Everyone was talking about Naruto. The Haruno girl had been stalking the boy almost relentlessly with a pack of other girls in an attempt to get the kid to open his wallet to her so she could pick out his credit card.

Haruno had been all over Sasuke during the single general studies class he attended, gym, boasting about her rich boyfriend while declaring her undying love for Sasuke. Haruno was a nasty piece of work something Sasuke was sure Naruto had figured out and that could have been the reason why had decided to hide in the library with Sasuke.

Who knew?

But for now Sasuke just wanted to get home and change for work. On the way he would call Itachi to let him know that they had guest and to make the kid help pay for groceries.

Sasuke had left Naruto alone his home an hour ago. An hour in a home that only the most basic form of cable and an old PS2 with games that were covered in dust for entertainment was not something Naruto was used to.

Boredom set in pretty quickly, but without his usual outlets, Naruto found himself staring at blank television screen wishing he had thought to hideout in his penthouse in New York.

His phone was buzzing crazily on the coffee table and Naruto was halfway tempted to answer it. It was Kiba again.

The bastard had not stopped calling him since he saw Naruto getting into Sasuke's Jeep. The little fucker just didn't know how to leave things alone. He had resorted to sending crude text messages and emails. Kiba refusal to just back off and let things settle down was not endearing him. After his last text, Naruto had finally had enough.

He had just ended his call to with the mobile phone provider when Itachi stepped through the front door.

There was an awkward moment with Naruto fidgeting and Itachi wondering what the boy was doing back at his house. '

Naruto stood up, a half guilty smile on his somber face. "Sasuke said it would be okay if I stayed here for a while." He offered by way of explaining his presence.

"Did he?"

Naruto nodded and Itachi had to wonder what his little brother was thinking. Sighing to himself, Itachi came inside and closed the door. Sasuke had never moved one his conquest into their home before so Itachi was a bit lost in this area. Itachi's own girlfriend lived in Hanover and rarely did she ever spend the night in his house. Itachi figured he would have to talk to Sasuke about this situation, but it could wait, right now, Itachi was hungry, tired, and feeling a bit stressed.

"I don't usually cook when Sasuke has to work," he told him, "I was thinking of ordering a couple of pizzas."

"Yeah, that's sounds good." Naruto reached up to scratch at the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture.

Itachi nodded since he didn't know what else to say, so he fell back on what he knew. "I'll order the pies and you get started on your homework. Sasuke will be home by the time the food arrives."

There was another sheepish nod from the kid and Itachi walked into kitchen to order their dinner and throw together a salad.

Itachi was coming down from his room, dressed in sweats with his freshly washed hair hanging down his back when Sasuke stepped through the front door. Naruto was in kitchen working on his homework and the two large pizzas were still in the oven where Itachi had placed them before going up for his shower.

Sasuke looked into the kitchen and was surprised to see an industrious Naruto hard at work on his homework. The brothers shared a look before moving to join their guest in the kitchen.

Naruto looked up with a half shy smile that Itachi returned while Sasuke moved towards the kitchen sink to wash his hands. Itachi grabbed the salad from the fridge and handed it off to Naruto to place on the dining room table. Sasuke pulled out the pizzas and followed Itachi into the dining room.


	3. Curveballs and Cuts

__This chapter has been revised. I read it once it online and I saw the errors. My apologies for that.

Okay, please enjoy this revision and remember. Reviews are always welcomed. I like knowing what you all think about the story.

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_Chapter Three: Curveballs and Cuts_

Three weeks after he had moved in with the Uchiha brothers brought a noticeable change in Naruto. He was much more relaxed and comfortable around them if his little pranks and horrid attempts at cooking were anything to go by.

Two days after Naruto invited himself into their home, Itachi received a visit from Naruto's lawyers. To Itachi's consternation, Naruto's guardian signed over temporary guardianship of one Naruto Minato Namikaze to Itachi. Both were flabbergasted but the sudden move by the man who only said in during his very brief telephone conversation with them that this was for the best. And to prove that he was serious, Jiraya had Naruto's estate closed and ordered his staff to return to the Namikaze's main residence back in Japan.

Naruto's butler arrived two days later to personally deliver his young master's clothing and personal effects to the Uchihas modest two-story Cape Cod home. The old man that had served the last three generations of Namikaze had been nearly heartbroken to leave Naruto in the foreign country with an American guardian he had never once met or even spoken to over the telephone. It impressed Itachi greatly to see how much the older gentleman cared for the parentless boy to best of capabilities due to his position. Itachi did not take offense when the Namikaze's butler asked for a tour of his home. The old man stayed late into the afternoon, watching the under butlers unpacked the guestroom that would serve as their master's bedroom. It was three bedroom house, Itachi had moved into his parents' bedroom only in the spring.

The butler had been the last of the Namikaze staff to leave, Itachi had left him alone as the man perform his final duty for Naruto in America by unpacking and preparing Naruto's room for when he returned from school. When he finally left, Itachi accepted that Naruto was officially in his care.

Naruto quickly learned that Itachi was no pushover.

The first few weeks were filled with a lot of teenage drama from the boy, who for so long had been allowed to run wild since his father's death. Itachi was patient but firm and Naruto realized rather quickly that if he wanted to stay in America and with the brothers that he was going to have work with the brothers. For Naruto, it was not an easy transition from his former home life of wealth and privilege to a middle class working home with an actual guardian, who seemed to care about Naruto's education as well as his well-being. Itachi told Naruto upfront the boy was not obligated to have a job, Jiraya had given Itachi fifty thousand dollars for housing and feeding Naruto, plus Naruto still had access to his own funds, but Itachi insisted that he help around the house and Naruto had to get his grades up.

From that moment, there were no disciplinary complaints from the school, but then Naruto was no longer associating with Kiba or trying to win over Sakura. Since the day of Sasuke and Naruto's encounter in the washroom, Naruto had in a sense gone into hiding is plain sight. Having discovered how the others students thought of him before they learned that he was rich forced Naruto to take a hard look at himself because he could honestly say that he did not like the person he had become.

With Itachi's encouragement Naruto started seeing a psychologist. About two months after he had moved in with them, Naruto had a horrible breakdown. Itachi did something for Naruto that not even Jiraya had ever done for him, he stayed and for someone as broken and alone as Naruto, that was best thing anyone could have done for him.

Itachi told Sasuke the next morning he did not leave Naruto the entire night because he feared the kid might actually hurt himself. There was so much hurt, anger, and self-loathing a person could repress before it finally exploded, and without going into details, Itachi felt sorry for the kid but he was determined to get Naruto through it.

Sasuke had left his brother home with broken boy after Itachi insisted that they would be okay and that Sasuke, for the moment, was not needed.

In school, although Naruto's grades and attendance were improving, his status as the outcast was only being confirmed.

At school, Sasuke would sometimes hear the cruel remarks of those who were jealous Naruto and they wanted what was once so freely given to them and as the months went by, the jealousy turned into something more mean and spiteful.

People were no longer content with watching the boy with covetous eyes, they began spreading rumors and telling lewd lies about Naruto and his relationship with the two brothers that were utterly ridiculous as well a sickening in their perversion. To Sasuke many sordid fantasies were so ludicrous that they were laughable, but there were a few that were so malicious and disturbing that it caused a shiver to race up Sasuke's spine as he met the jealous fiend's gaze as he drove up to school with Naruto every morning. Kiba Inuzuka was determined to get back what once his and he saw Sasuke as an obstacle in his plans so he set out to ruin his reputation and humiliate Naruto thinking that shamed, Naruto would return to Kiba's side and everything would go back to way it was before.

Unfortunately for Kiba, Sasuke was gay and he never made a secret of it nor did he care what other though about it. His personal life was his and he would be damned if he going to let the mindless gossips of the school get to him. But if this was only about him in this mess, Sasuke wouldn't have given two shits about what was being said, but Naruto was a different story. The kid was still in a fragile state that it was possible any jabs at his sexuality could possibly send the brat over the edge.

It was not that Sasuke hadn't thought about being with Naruto since he had come to know and live in the same house with the boy. Sasuke would have to be blind and heterosexual to not want to bend that little blond Japanese boy over and thoroughly raid his ass. Naruto was small-boned and just at medium height. He had boyishly handsome face with a large, full-lipped animated mouth that was quick to smile when he was pleased or happy.

God, Naruto was such a pretty little thing, who was desperately vulnerable that it would have been so easy to take him and bend him into whatever Sasuke depraved mind could conjure, and Sasuke had a pretty twisted mind when it came to sex. But unfortunately, seducing Naruto was not a simple as the little idiots in their school though it was. For starters, Naruto had an almost pathetic need to belong.

Itachi explained that for Naruto, being viewed as something outside of societal norms would only terrify the boy and thus cause him revert back into the role Naruto established for himself before he came to live with them.

It was a conversation that Itachi though they needed to have when saw Sasuke staring at the other boy a little too long. Sasuke assured his brother that he had no immediate, sexual interest in Naruto, but when he though Itachi wasn't looking Sasuke was having a hard time keeping his eyes from Naruto.

Sasuke was no debauched rake. He had no intentions of forcing his attentions on Naruto before the boy was ready. He knew Itachi was right about Naruto, it was why he told him about the rumors going around school about them. If pressured, Naruto would fall into the trap that was being laid for him by those capacious little bitches at the school who wanted their golden goose back.

Sasuke did not know which would be worst or better yet, why cared aside from wanting to one day sleep with the other boy. On the upside Naruto if fell back into the clutches of money grubbing riff-raff at school, he would go back home and be out of Sasuke and Itachi's lives. But the small bit of humanity that Itachi had tried to instill inside of Sasuke wanted to save the kid from those assholes by reaching out to the prick.

It was hard to forget to big blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears staring up at him as Naruto's world fell around his ears.

Three months after Naruto had moved into his home, and the first time Sasuke and the kid are alone, Sasuke decided to get the rumor situation out in the open because quite frankly, he was sick of it Naruto trying to pretend that it did not affect him.

Itachi left that morning for a conference in Boston and he would be gone for four days, six if he decided to spend the upcoming weekend with his girlfriend in Canaan.

Sasuke's boss had given him two weeks off with pay so Sasuke could focus on his midterms, which left him at home alone with Naruto in the evenings for the entire week. Tonight was their first night together, and it was now that Sasuke decided to talk to Naruto about the rumors that were going around the school.

Sasuke had made a simple supper of spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. A salad sat on the table along the remains of the cake Itachi's girlfriend had brought over the night before.

Naruto was too busy pushing his food around on his plate to notice the pensive gaze that had been focused on him since they had sat down. It was easy for Sasuke to decipher what was eating at the kid, the school's gossips must have chomping at their bits and nearly burning everyone's ear off who would listen with news that Naruto had been seen in Sasuke's arms in the library that afternoon. It was true, of course, but the rest was just utter bullshit.

Did Sasuke fail to mention Naruto had two left feet on a regular basis, but when he excited, the kid was completely uncoordinated and a hazard to anyone within a two mile radius? As it happened, Naruto had been excited, grinning from ear to ear as he proudly showed Sasuke his marks on a several tests. Two A's and one B, the idiot had proudly proclaimed, his first in a long time and it was thanks to Sasuke and Itachi he babbled.

Naruto was happy, his eyes shone with a brilliance that could shame sapphires, and his smile was the definition of happiness. Sasuke did not protest when the pretty little Japanese boy threw his arms around him, gushing and bubbling in his native tongue, having forgotten that Sasuke didn't speak Japanese in his joy.

Now hours later, in the solitude of Uchihas' house and alone with Sasuke, Naruto was confused and frightened.

Naruto wasn't homosexual, but the rumors about him and Sasuke said different. In gym, he had heard the other guys talking about them, whispering as they stared openly at him. Naruto knew they would not touch him or hurt him, his money insured that no matter how rabid of a homophobe a person might be they could not touch him physically. But his money could not protect him from the nasty rumors and innuendos that were running wild through the school gossip mill.

The sound of a chair moving back caused Naruto took look up.

Sasuke had moved his chair back, his heavy left arm was thrown over the back as he leaned back, studying him. Naruto could see dark stubble on Sasuke's cheeks and chin; it gave the older boy a more mature and masculine look. Unconsciously, Naruto shifted under that heavy gaze but it was rather difficult, Sasuke was intense and demanding, nothing about the other was gentle, he could devour Naruto—

"I suppose you heard the latest round of garbage making its way around the gossips mills today," Sasuke finally spoke, his gravelly voice breaking the sudden tension that had enveloped them.

Absently, Naruto nodded, his gaze shifted down his hands that had fallen into his lap. "Yeah," he murmured, "It's pretty crazy, right?"

A dark brow quirked, "It is only an exaggeration of what happened," Sasuke replied evenly.

Naruto laughed quietly, "They really want to humiliate me," he looked up at Sasuke, his gaze defiant and yet yearning, "I'm not gay, Sasuke. Please, you have to believe me, I wasn't trying to pull anything or cause trouble for you. I was just excited and wanted to share it with someone close to me."

"I know," Sasuke reassured him.

But Naruto didn't believe him, not yet. "I'm sorry that Kiba and the others are dragging you into this, but I didn't mean drag you into my problems. If you want, I can move back to my place and this will all blow over."

"Are you finished?" Sasuke asked his tone was bored and uncaring as he watched Naruto flinch. Slowly the blond nodded, his gaze fixed firmly on his lap. He waited a moment before he began speaking. "This should not have been a surprise to you, Naruto. That Inuzuka kid's been using you for a long time and then you suddenly cut off, of course he is angry, he has every right to be so, but then you should have expected this. Inuzuka isn't going to be happy until he has you back under his thumb and his hands in your wallet, the same thing for Haruno and her crowd. Haruno has no interest in you but she is very interested in what you can give her. All those kids in school are thinking the same thing and the terrible thing is that they know that they will succeed because you are creature of habit."

Naruto bristled at this, "I am not going to stand by and be used by these people."

"Really?" One of Sasuke's brows quirked as he regarded the other boy.

"I am not a fool." Naruto declared.

"No," Sasuke agreed, "But you are desperate for approval and acceptance." Naruto opened his mouth to protest but Sasuke cut him off. "I know what you going to say, that you don't care what others think about you, that you don't need them, yet, were that true you would not sitting here fretting over the rumors regarding your sexuality. You would not care if Inuzuka decided put out full page spread in the local paper that claimed you were having a sexual relationship with me. None of what Inuzuka or his cronies are saying should affect you, but it does. You are hiding from it and them. They have all the power."

"And what do you suggest that I do?" Naruto demanded, "Everyone at school already hate me. No one wants to be my friend but they all want my money. Even the girl of my dreams doesn't want me, she wants you. They all want you." Naruto was screaming now, but he was beyond reason at that point. Sasuke's impassive attitude, his steady gaze, and nonchalance about this situation only infuriated Naruto more. Before he could stop himself, Naruto had stormed around the table and grabbed Sasuke by the shoulders, only to find him on the floor. His arms were pinioned behind his back with one of Sasuke's knees pressed against neck. He tried to push up, only to have Sasuke apply more pressure to his back until Naruto finally stopped struggling and settled down. "I hate you," Naruto ground out. "I fucking hate you. I can have anything I want in the world. I'm rich, I have more money than you or anybody in this fucking town will ever see in your entire pathetic lives but these people still love you. They trip over themselves to be recognized by you—You, a nobody, someone who always be less than me, no matter what you do in your life—but here you are better than me!" he screamed. "I hate you; I fucking hate you so much that I wish to God that you would die!"

"Are you finished?" Sasuke asked in his infuriating calm voice.

Naruto screamed again, "Fuck you, Uchiha."

"I guess not," Sasuke grunted. He hauled the other boy up by his arms and carried him upstairs. He kicked open the bathroom door and he shoved Naruto into bath tub and turned on the shower. He held Naruto there for a few moments as the other boy screamed and trashed about before he final stopped fighting. The tears had ceased and every few seconds a shudder would pass through his body as he rested against Sasuke but it was over.

Naruto did not fight when Sasuke lifted him from the tub and carried Naruto across the hall to the small bedroom that Naruto had claimed as his own.

Naruto was nearly unresponsive as Sasuke stripped him from his wet clothes before rough fully drying him off. He said nothing as Sasuke laid him down and pulled the covers over his body. Naruto just rolled on to his side away, facing away from the door, before he closed his tired eyes and promptly went to sleep.

Sasuke watched the other boy had for a few minutes before he walked away.

The next morning he was met by a morose Naruto. Sasuke had laid out their breakfast and was now working on their dinner. He was putting the fixings for beef stew in the crockpot. Sasuke looked up as soon as Naruto entered the kitchen. For a long moment neither said a word. Naruto looked down at his sock covered feet and Sasuke looked at the top of Naruto's head.

Clearing his throat to gain the other's attention, Sasuke said, "It is your turn to make up our lunches today."

Naruto grimaced, "You know I am no good at cooking."

"You are just making sandwiches, rich boy, even you should be possess the capabilities to do as mundane as put meat and cheese between two slices of bread" Sasuke teased lightly. He glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye, Naruto was pouting and grumbling but he was smiling.

At school, Sasuke was rushing around trying to find Naruto.

It was Sasuke's free period and ever since that first afternoon when he brought Sasuke coffee, Naruto made it a point to join Sasuke in the library for lunch and to study. When Naruto did not show up, Sasuke got worried and went to look for the little idiot. Inuzuka was a bully and coward, Sasuke was sure wherever that ass was, Naruto was going to be there.

That last hit jarred him, but Naruto still refused to go down.

Kiba was angry, and feeling embarrassed each time Naruto got back up. It not to say that the other boy was just taking Kiba's beating either. Naruto was a hellion and one hell of a dirty fighter, but not even he could hold his own against four people. But Naruto had made sure he left an impression on Kiba.

Turning his head to the side, Kiba spat out another mouthful of blood before turning back to the defiant boy standing across from him with his fists raised. There was no way Kiba was going to lose, Naruto had ruined his reputation and damaged Kiba's pride.

They wouldn't have been in this situation had Naruto just played along the night of the party. Kiba still could not understand what had set Naruto off that last time—Kiba knew that Naruto had been pissed about Sakura rejecting him again, but then the next day she was all over him, so it was beyond Kiba why Naruto was still mad, but he was going to beat the anger out of Naruto and get everything back to the way it was.

Just as Kiba stepped toward Naruto, the principal came storming around the hedgerow with three of the coaches, and Sasuke Uchiha was trailing behind them.

"What is going on here!" the principal shouted. He looked first at Naruto before directing his fridge gaze on Kiba and his band of friends. "Uchiha, take Uzumaki to the nurse's office. The rest of you, in my office. Now."

Sasuke was at Naruto's side immediately. He did not miss the hostile glare Inuzuka sent his was as he dragged off by the football coach but Sasuke did not pay him any mind. If Inuzuka though Sasuke was going to be caught fighting on school grounds during senior year, then he was dumber than he looked.

Like Kiba, Naruto knew what Sasuke had done, and it left him feeling conflicted about Sasuke's meddling. He could have defended himself; he did not need anyone standing up for him.

"Thank you," Naruto looked as aghast that the words had come from him. He looked up at Sasuke, but the other boy was busy making a salad to go with their supper.

Sasuke had brought Naruto home after their visit at the nurse's office; they cleaned up and spent the rest of the afternoon separately until Sasuke called Naruto down to set the table.

Naruto looked down at the bread he had just placed on the table; he suddenly wished that he had glass of whiskey to help wash away the sick feeling creeping up his throat. While Naruto was berating himself, Sasuke had come out of the kitchen bearing the salad and a pitcher of iced tea. He gently nudged Naruto out of the way.

Dinner was as quiet as it ever was for them since Itachi wasn't home. Both boys tucked into their meal, Naruto complimented Sasuke on the stew before lapsing back into silence.

Hours later, alone in his room, Naruto was staring a photograph of his _okasan_. It was the only one left after his _otosan_ destroyed the rest of them in drunken rage shortly before they left Japan.

Not too many knew that Kushina Namikaze had killed herself. The reason had been utterly frivolous, but the day's event had dredged up the terrible memories Naruto had witnessed before Naruto found his okasan's life body staring up ceiling of his parents bedroom. The child psychologist Naruto used to see said Kushina's suicide and her rebelling against change in social status was responsible for Naruto's need to reject anything that had to do with the Namikaze name.

She had encouraged his _otosan_ to send Naruto to an exclusive boarding school with children from his own social station thinking that it would help him move past his mother's death but it had the opposite effect. After his _otosan_ died, Naruto left the school and turned his back on the Namikaze's legacy. He refused to return to Japan as he tried to erase every aspect of Namikaze from his life, because he blamed everything associated with the name Namikaze for Kushina's death.

"My mother killed herself when I was six years old," Sasuke turned to the other face the boy standing inside his bedroom door.

"Excuse me?" Sasuke gasped.

"I don't know if Itachi told you this or not, but I want you to know why…" he trailed off looking away from Sasuke for moment before he continued. "My mother—_okasan_—she killed herself when I was six years old," Naruto said again. He was toying with a set of rings on a simple chain. Sasuke was sure that simple chain cost more than everything in his room, and the rings were probably worth more than the Uchiha's home. "I found her." He slipped one of the rings on his fingers, "She on their bed, wearing that old blue dress that she had _otosan_ had fought about earlier that evening. You see, _otosan_ had been invited to gala with Emperor and the Imperial family—_Otosan_, just wanted okasan to wear the gown he bought her. We had both picked it out because we thought she would be so beautiful in it." Naruto twisted the ring around a few time before he pulled it off.

"_Okasan_ never cared about wealth. She never cared for my father's name and what he could give her. She just wanted him and a happy ending. Sadly _okasan's_ idea of a fairytale life did not match the expectations of wife of Minato Namikaze so she rebelled and the world fought back. She tried to fire the staff in our main house, the staff went to the newspapers and the press painted a picture of an arrogant American who was trying to ruin their lives and their families. People turned on her, my _otosan_ stood by her, but he had to make many amends for _okasan_ and apologize for her—he always had to apologize for her. She had such a terrible contempt for the world that she had married into. Well, the long and short of this is that I have always blamed him for _okasan's_ death. She wanted a regular life. She wanted me to go to public schools, she wanted me to be around regular people, and to not associate with my social station. _Okasan _hated my father's money and the power associated with it. As I grew older, and learned more about the company, I found that she had deliberately set out destroy Nam-Co. She wanted _otosan_ to live like a commoner, like an American father and husband on the programs she used to watch. She wanted her fantasy no matter how unrealistic it was and when she could not have it—"

"She killed herself." Sasuke finished.

Still not looking up from his rings, Naruto nodded. "Kakashi said that she was sick, Jiraya said that she was a dangerous loon and that my father never should have married her. Maybe _otosan_ should not have married her, and maybe she would still be alive today, but understanding her illness, that is a big 'What-If'. _Okasan_ she suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder, but I didn't know that when I came here instead of returning to Japan or staying in my school after _otosan_ died. I guess I wanted to know what was great about you people that that it would drive my mother to reject everything about us and make her kill herself. I couldn't stand it. I hated everything because the more I tried to be like you, the more I was rejected. And with each rejection it felt like my mother was rejecting me for not being the perfect American. I think that is why was so desperate for Sakura to be my girlfriend and for everyone to like me. I guess is also the main reason I resented you—you represent everything that I wanted to be…"

"You don't have to continue." Sasuke told him and that was when Naruto finally looked up. Sasuke wasn't surprised to see tears in the boy's eyes nor the determined set of his chin, but he wasn't in the mood to hear any of this shit because at that moment, he did not honestly care.

If Naruto wanted to have a heart to heart with someone, he could wait until Itachi was home or he call his therapist, it did not matter to him what the selfish little fucker did, Sasuke just wanted him out of his room or he was going to toss the little idiot on his bed and fuck his brains out.

Naruto was come into his room wearing nothing more than a pair of white briefs that left nothing to imagination. Sasuke just wanted to lick his ways in between those bronze thighs and fuck him with his tongue and fingers until Naruto crawled into his lap and impaled himself on his dick.

He watched Naruto's mouth move that animated mouth that beckoned Sasuke to claim it. Sasuke bit back a growl of frustration as he tore his gaze away from his temptation and remind himself that Naruto wasn't ready.

Soon, Sasuke promised himself, soon he was going to have Naruto.

But not today. This morning, Sasuke pushed aside his desire and assured Naruto that he did not need to explain anything and he watched the little idiot's eyes light up with relief and that mouth spread into warm smile before Naruto surged forward wrapping his arms around Sasuke's body.

For a moment, Sasuke contemplated returning the embrace, but reason ruled the day. Sasuke gently pushed Naruto away. He was surprised to see tears in Naruto's eyes but that smile, it was breath taking. Naruto's smile was bright and carefree, the light in his blue eyes was brilliant as the sun, and the boy just radiated happiness. And selfishly, Sasuke wanted that look all for himself.

"I know, I am terrible cook," Naruto said as backed out of Sasuke's room, still smiling and glowing. "But I would like to treat you dinner tonight. Anywhere you want, I don't care about cost or the destination—we could go to China for _dim sum_ if you want."

"Why?" Sasuke asked suspiciously, he did not want Naruto to think that he could buy him. So he was surprised to when Naruto just shrugged his shoulders and winked at Sasuke before walking away.

"I just feel like it." He told him, "So chose some place exciting, yeah. I want to enjoy myself."

He walked away leaving Sasuke to think about all the places and the things they could go on their first unofficial date.

Naruto did not know it yet, but Sasuke was determined to claim Naruto for himself.


	4. The Wooing of Naruto Namikaze

__This chapter was meant to be last one before the epilogue but things change, especially when you go back and review your maps only to realize that you were wrong.

Okay, please enjoy my humble efforts and review. I like reading what you all think about this story.

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_Chapter Four: The Wooing of Naruto Namikaze_

Instead of taking Naruto up on his offer to travel anywhere in the world for dinner, Sasuke chose to go bowling alley, and it was his treat. Initially, Naruto had been surprised that Sasuke did not take him up on his carte blanche offer to travel to across the world for _biryani _or _dim sum_. Instead Sasuke treated Naruto to an evening of bowling and dinner, surprising Naruto who swore that next time was going to pick where they went.

A shortly before dinner time, Sasuke drove them over to Upper Valley Lanes and Games over in White River Junction in Vermont. It was about five miles from their home and it spared them from seeing kids from their school.

Naruto did not bowl. Kiba had not been interested in, so Naruto never got into. But Sasuke was really into it and after a few turns, Naruto could somewhat see why, and soon, he was having more fun than he had in a very long time.

"My dad used to be in a league. He used to take me along when he practice with his team." Sasuke told him when they finally sat down to enjoy their dinner. He and Naruto had already polished off a basket of clam strips and a side of broccoli and cheese bites between them, but now that their appetites had been stoked after several matches, the boys nearly devoured steak and cheese subs in just a few bites.

"So this was something that he used to do with just you, just the two of you?" Naruto asked around a mouthful of sandwich and fries.

With a nod, Sasuke replied, "My dad was a real sportsman and he wanted Itachi and me to be active. He signed us for everything, T-Ball, touch football, tennis, soccer,-just about everything. And when I showed an interest in martial arts, Dad was dragging me down to YMCA for classes." He chuckled at the memory, "Dad was really just a big kid underneath his hard shell."

"You miss him?" Naruto asked after moment of silence.

Again, Sasuke nodded. "He was a good dad. He was there when we needed him and he loved us." He looked at Naruto and said, "What about you and your dad?"

Naruto picked at his food as he tried to think of some of good moments with his _otosan_, but there weren't many after Kushina's death. "My father worked a lot. When he was home, he was in his office or off going somewhere. I remember he came to all my recitals though but it nothing like what you had with your father."

"But you had that." Sasuke pointed out, and then he smiled, "I didn't know that you musically inclined. What instrument do you play?"

"The violin," Naruto admitted sheepishly. He was expected ridicule or some kind of snide remark, but when he looked up, he only saw a contemplative look on Sasuke's face Naruto did not feel the need to be embarrassed. He met Sasuke gaze with a smile on his lips and half shy laugh that dispelled the tension that had built-up within him.

The rest of the week went by in a blur with tests and studying taking up a majority of their time that could not wait for classes to end on Friday. On Thursday night as the boys ate a dinner of _kaeng phet pet yang_, _phrik nam pla_, and sticky rice that had been prepared by a sweet old Thai grandmother from whose lawn Naruto raked out of the kindness of his heart, Naruto out of the blue that Naruto suggested that they to go to New York for the weekend.

Naruto owned a house in Washington Square and he had floor seats to the Knicks that he hardly ever used. They telephoned Itachi who luckily, decided not to be a killjoy about the game he gave them permission to go to the City. So after school, with their bags already in back of Sasuke's jeep, they drove to the White River Junction train station in Vermont and boarded the evening train to New York City.

Naruto was excited, telling Sasuke about his favorite places in the city, all the restaurants they could eat at and the places they could go, but he toned down his excitement when Sasuke reminded him they would only be there for the Saturday and part of Sunday. But Naruto was still happy and he was still smiling. He had been smiling throughout the entire week.

Naruto seemed to have finally reached a point where he decided to stop hiding and decided to deal with his anger. And Naruto was pretty damn angry. Since he stopped blaming his father for his mother's death and he decided to stop trying to live his mother's fantasy. He called his former guardian and they had a long, violent row in Japanese. Naruto later told Sasuke about it as they ate their Taiwanese supper (which Naruto declared was the best he had ever had) as he laughed at Sasuke's hesitation when he first saw the food and more so at the face the other had made when he when went for the first bite.

Naruto didn't cry this time. He was angry with his guardian for not helping him and for just leaving a thirteen-year-old boy to his own devices. Sasuke did not comment, he did not know who Jiraya was, but he knew who Kakashi Hatake.

Hatake was the President of Nam-Co, Naruto's company, and he seemed very surprised when Naruto asked him to meet him New York.

The train trip to into New York was uneventful. Sasuke slept most of the trip while Naruto got up to speed on what his company was doing and how it was profiting under Hatake's leadership.

When they arrived at Penn Station in New York early the next morning, it was cool and slightly overcast, but Sasuke was more than a little be excited since this was his first time in New York. Naruto had ordered a car to pick them up. Sasuke wasn't in a hurry to do much of anything, he just wanted to enjoy his night weekend in the City.

They dropped their bags off at Naruto's house—A four story Greek Revival townhouse with a private garden and a carriage house. The furniture was elegant, New England colonial, it was rich and sturdy found as he strolled through the home at his leisure. He had met Kakashi Hatake who had been waiting for them. They meet for about two hours, leaving Sasuke to his own devices, and when Hatake left, Naruto found Sasuke and they went out for breakfast at _Le Pain Quotidien_.

Naruto did not talk about what happened in his meeting with Hatake, they just spent the day walking around the neighborhood, and Sasuke fell in love. He always though he was going to stay in Hanover, but he could see himself living in Washington Square, more specifically Sasuke could see himself living in Washington Square with Naruto.

"So what do you plan to do now," Itachi asked as Naruto and Sasuke bustled about the dining room, setting down dishes while Itachi poured their drinks.

Naruto put down the cornbread he had helped Sasuke make for their supper. Tonight, it was Itachi's favorite red chili with jalapeno and cheddar cornbread. The elder Uchiha had returned just a few hours earlier, tired and but pleased. While Sasuke was prepared the chili, Naruto brought Itachi up to speed on all that had transpired in the last two weeks.

They spoke in Japanese, something Sasuke was sure Itachi did just to bother him since Itachi was just barely fluent in the language, but Naruto did not seem to mind. He easily corrected Itachi if he stumbled or used the wrong word.

"After graduation, I am going to spend the summer before college in Tokyo working in my company. I wouldn't mind if you and Sasuke wanted to come with me?" He asked hopefully.

"Hmm, I can't, I'll be teaching this summer," Itachi told him, "But this would be a good opportunity for Sasuke since he's never been out of the country." He grinned at Sasuke as his brother. Sasuke didn't say anything as the two idiots planned his summer. He took the bowl Naruto held out to him and filled it with the spicy chili.

Naruto returned the grin as he took his bowl back. "Sasuke, you are going to love it. Tokyo is unreal—It's better than Las Vegas and Dubai—Oh, I have to take you Minato, the museums and the gardens are wondrous, and I know you are going to love it."

"Minato?," Sasuke snorted, "That's your father's name right?"

Naruto laughed, "Shut up, ass. It was where my grandparents met and got married."

"And so commemorate their love your grandparents named their son after the place where he was most likely conceived." Itachi joined in.

"I think it's romantic," Naruto shrugged. "Besides, it a lot better than being name "Weasel", _Itachi-san_." They dissolved into laughter.

Naruto might have missed it, but Itachi had not taken his eyes from his little brother who had not taken his eyes from Naruto since the other boy sat down. When Naruto had gone up to bed for the evening, Itachi and Sasuke were alone in the living room, Itachi decided to approach his brother about his time spent the alone with Naruto.

As excepted, Sasuke was surprisingly tightlipped on the matter. Sasuke was ambitious, he wanted only the best the world had to offer and somehow fate had served him Naruto on a golden platter.

"I was surprised to come home and not find that you had finally turned that little boy out." He looked over at Sasuke.

Sasuke did not take his eyes from his book as he replied, "I decided not to rush things with Naruto. He is slowly warming to me, and I think this summer in Tokyo will allow him to become used to the idea of being in relationship with me. I am in no hurry to ruin the future I have planned for him and me by rushing Naruto before he's ready."

And he was content with waiting for the boy—no, the man he planned to spend the rest of his life with.


	5. Coming Together and Happily Ever After

Ah, I created a cardinal sin with this story, I did not listen to my story when it said it was finished and now I am paying the price for my arrogance.

My apologies for the delay, readers, but hope this was worth the wait.

_Sean._

Please read, enjoy, and review.

* * *

_Chapter Five: Coming together_

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The following weeks and months saw no negative changes in Sasuke and Naruto's relationship. When Sasuke wasn't working or volunteering at the _Boys' and Girls' Club_, he was usually with Naruto. He made sure that he walked with Naruto when they first arrived at the school each morning and that they walked out of the building around the same time. Naruto still had lunch with Sasuke in the library and occasionally they would venture out to the quad if Sasuke was in the mood for it.

On Friday nights, Sasuke would treat Naruto to evening on the town, usually it was dinner and movie interspersed with the occasional trip to the bowling alley just to be different. On Saturdays they would laze around the house, usually studying until Itachi would kick them out and then they would just go where until they felt like returning home. On a few occasions the three of them would venture to New York City to watch the Knicks or Rangers games to break up the monotony of their days. Over Christmas break, Itachi took the boys to sky lodge in Vermont. Around the holidays the brothers would travel, instead of staying at home to avoid the reminders of what they had lost. It was something that Naruto understood.

Naruto had spent his first winters and summers breaks after his father's death with Jiraya in the Andes and the French Alps. Those trips were lavish and decadent affairs that usually were boring since Naruto had often been confined in the old chateau Jiraya owned in the French mountains or the chalet the old man had built in Chubut down in Argentina to impress the far too young women he often brought along on those trips. This trip with the brothers was a welcomed reprieve and it was the first time in a long time Naruto enjoyed a holiday.

On New Year's Eve, while the other quests of the lodge were gathered in the restaurant, Itachi and the boys were on the balcony of their suite with a bottle of sparkling cider to welcome the New Year.

Sasuke thought of initiating a kiss with Naruto that night, as he had throughout the entire trip, but changed his mind and instead followed the boy down the sloops in a final run before calling it a night.

They returned to Hanover without Sasuke having kissed Naruto, but it did not stop him from dating the other boy, and yeah they were dating.

It had taken Sasuke sometime easing Naruto into idea of them being together in a relationship. Naruto had been reluctant with the idea of being with another guy—but Sasuke was patient with him, never rushing Naruto or pushing him to anything that he wasn't ready for, they just continued with what they had been doing and left it at that.

It was around April that Naruto finally decided that he wanted to move their relationship to the next step, to the physical. He wasn't ready for sex, not yet, but Naruto was ready for kissing. Like Sasuke, Naruto wanted to take their relationship slow. Although it had taken him sometime to become used to the idea that he was in a homosexual relationship, Naruto quickly accepted that this was something that he wanted for the long haul.

So one crisp April evening as they were driving back from attending the opening day of Billings Farm and Museum over in Woodstock, Vermont, Naruto kissed his boyfriend.

It was been an accident. Sasuke had stopped to fill up his Jeep and grab a bottle of water. He just about to get out of the cab of his jeep when turn to ask Naruto if he wanted something when he was met by a pair of warm, slightly chapped lips against his own. Sasuke had just turned his head at the same time Naruto was leaning over to grab his jacket from the backseat and the next thing that happened was their lips meeting.

Naruto's immediate reaction was to pull away, but strong, long fingers were pressed against the back of head and the nape of his neck, keeping him pressed close against his body.

The was not Naruto's first kiss by far, this even wasn't his first kiss with another male, but it was the first time he felt his face heat up and his heart race. It was the first time he did not close his eyes to pretend that the person he was kissing was someone else.

Slowly, ever so slowly their lips parted, Naruto knew his face was burning up but he did not hide it. With tentative hope making his dark blue eyes shine, Naruto met Sasuke's gaze before reaching up to kiss him again. When Sasuke did not pull away from him, Naruto smiled against his lips and threw his arms around Sasuke's neck causing him to lose his balance and them to tumble back into Naruto's seat, but Sasuke caught himself and Naruto before Naruto's head could have impacted against this passenger side window.

Naruto was still smiling as he felt a thick and heavy arm slip around his waist and he laughed just a little when he was pressed against Sasuke's powerful chest in a possessive embrace, one that he happily returned with a kiss on a pair perfect smirking lips.

For the first time in a very long time, Naruto was happy.

_The End_

* * *

_Epilogue: Happily Ever After?_

* * *

Not everyone was happy for Sasuke and Naruto when they first came out as a couple. Naruto and Kiba never reconciled or became friends. Kiba was resentful and angry, his home life had not improved—so with little prospects for much in life, Kiba signed up for the Marines.

Five years later he was killed in Afghanistan when an IED hit his convoy.

Sakura never forgave Naruto so she set out to ruin his relationship with Sasuke. She had planned to follow Sasuke to Dartmouth but her grades and scores on the SAT and ACT had not been enough to secure her admission for the first two years. Sakura was accepted to _Nashua Community College_ before she transferred to Dartmouth. She was still infatuated with Sasuke and that almost ended her college career. Sakura found herself on academic probation because she had allowed her grades to slip in her seeming mindless pursuit of Sasuke. Her parents refused to pay for tuition after that disastrous first year so Sakura had to leave and transfer to public university and get a job. Chasing Sasuke fell to the wayside as the realities and priorities of adulthood forced themselves into the forefront of Sakura's life.

Sakura became a nurse and moved to Virginia. Her life did not turn out to be the fairytale she once dreamed of, but it was hers and she chose to make the best of it.

And what about the Uchihas and Naruto?

Well after Sasuke moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law School, Itachi married his longtime girlfriend and the two settled down in Hanover. Itachi was offered staff position at Dartmouth as an Associate Professor of Asian History. He and his wife, Mai, had a son whom they named Akihiko, who Naruto spoiled ridiculously every chance he got.

For Itachi, life was perfect.

For Sasuke and Naruto would be nice to say that lived happily after, but that would be a bitter lie.

They can count three break-ups, one affair, and a domestic assault charge in their happily ever after. Then they grew up. Sasuke convinced Naruto to move to New York. They took up residence in Naruto's house in Washington Square; Naruto relocated Nam-Co Headquarter to New York and Sasuke had taken a position at prestigious law firm in Manhattan. Sasuke was on the fast track of making partner in the next five years.

The pair did have their ups and downs, but the good days outweighed the bad almost a hundred to one. Three years before, right after Sasuke graduated from law school, he proposed to Naruto. They were married in Massachusetts in a small ceremony that their closest family and friends attended. Kakashi had been reluctant to see his former mentor and president's son married off to the American, but his fears were laid to rest after Sasuke signed the prenuptial agreement Naruto had presented him with. Naruto loved Sasuke, but several years in the business world made him appreciate the importance of contracts for defining what was expected of each other and what they would walk away with should the deal go sour. Sasuke wanted the house in New York and sixty-five million, Naruto wanted Sasuke to take his last name and that any children they would have in their marriage would also have Naruto's family name. And that was the biggest point of contention for the two men. Naruto also wanted the children. Sasuke just wanted Naruto to be his for the rest of their lives, and Naruto wanted that, too.

Three years into their marriage, the Namikaze's were expecting their first child via surrogate, a boy whom they were going to name after Naruto's father, Minato.

So after years of guilt, suffering, and redemption, Naruto finally had the life and love he had always wanted, and that was the reality of Naruto's life.

* * *

Thank you for reading my work. I hope that you enjoyed it reading it as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.

Sean.


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